N. !.
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19
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Mr. Sidebotham.
Sir A. Morse and Sir K. K. Lo both considered that as the Governor and unofficial members in Hong Kong considered that the whole of the $16 million should be found from the Japanese assets, the proposal should be accepted. They thought, however, that once it was clear that the University was on a firm financial basis local contributions would be forthcoming from the Jockey Club and from others.
A note of the meeting is at (33) and I submit opposite a draft for conson.
Howell
16. 8. 51.
Mr. Paskin.
Mr. Hall's note of this morning's discussion with Sir Arthur Morse and Sir Man Kam Lo will be found at (33).
I agree in general with the draft telegram. The point which Sir Man Kam Lo emphasised was that the very fact that the university had hitherto been on such an unsatisfactory footing, had deterred private subscription for its other urgent needs and he felt that a gesture by the Secretary of State in agreeing with the whole of the endowment fund would remove this difficulty and stimulate generosity more effectively than anything else.
I certainly got the impression from Sir Arthur Morse that he thought he would be able to carry the library project with the Jockey Club, and Sir Man Kam Lo seems to think that the proposal to establish a research scholarship in connection with Mr. Landale's past work in the Colony heard recently that he had retired from the Legislative Council and is, I conclude, coming home for good, would stand all the better chance of coming to fruition if the whole of the endowment fund were to be provided out of the Hong Kong share of the Japanese assets.
I think, therefore, that we can submit that proposal for the Secretary of State's approval and telegraph as in draft herewith. I do not know whether it is desirable to add anything as regards the possible date when an announcement can be made subsequent to the signing of the Jap Treaty, as I have not seen whether any conclusions have been reached with the High Commissioner, Federation Malaya, on that aspect.
JB. S
16th August, 1951.
(25)
The Secretary of State has been personally concerned in this proposal and it would be convenient if he could see the papers on Monday morning particularly as I understand that he has agreed to receive f Sir A. Morse (who was one of those with whom the proposal was discussed at the meeting with the Secretary of State on 27th July) late on Monday morning.
At that meeting, the Secretary of State made it clear that he was much concerned that the allocation of such a large part of the Japanese assets in Hong Kong, to form the nucleus of an Endowment Fund for the University, should not operate to deter private benefactions. Both Sir A. Morse and Sir M.K. Lo are fully alive to the importance of this
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